Veerman Committee Argues for Continuation of TI Pharma

LEIDEN, The Netherlands, January 26 - Top Institute Pharma (TI Pharma) enables unique public-private
collaborations that are extremely valuable for pharmaceutical research in the
Netherlands. This can be read in the Midterm Review (MTR) of the Top
Institute, which was published today. In the report, an independent committee
chaired by Cees Veerman concludes that TI Pharma is well on its way to
achieving the objectives that were determined at the time of its
establishment. The institute addresses issues with marked social relevance,
attracts international investments and has brought forth a group of quality
researchers. The committee unanimously recommends that TI Pharma should be
continued in its present form.

Today, Kees van Lede, one of the members of the MTR committee, presented
the report to Minister Ab Klink of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS). In the
report, the committee expresses a favorable view of TI Pharma, which was
established in 2006 and received government funding for a period of four
years. Every euro invested was matched by the science sector and the private
sector.

Van Lede: "As TI Pharma creates actual value, it constitutes a sensible
investment - one that furthermore offers a high degree of leverage. The
institute attracts many international investments, as the recent commitment
of EUR 53 million made by private parties illustrates. In part thanks to TI
Pharma, the Netherlands can compete with superstructures like Cambridge in
the UK, the Bay Area in the US and Singapore."

TI Pharma has set up an excellent research infrastructure over the past
two years. Universities, research institutes and larger and smaller
pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical firms work closely together to enable
the better, speedier and cheaper development of valuable medicines. The
chairman of the MTR committee, Cees Veerman, states: "The Midterm Review
proves that with its excellent project portfolio, TI Pharma makes a valuable
contribution to the knowledge infrastructure in the Netherlands. The
independent position that TI Pharma occupies ensures that it can play an
essential role in the translation of scientific knowledge into economic and
social value."

Both the Management Team and the Executive Board of TI Pharma feel
encouraged by the conclusions of the MTR and by the recommendations the
committee has made to further develop the top institute. Ton Rijnders, Vice
President Discovery MSD Oss and chairman of the Executive Board: "The report
is a formal confirmation of the quality and the added value of TI Pharma.
Furthermore, it is a good thing that the committee has an eye for the lengthy
period of time required to develop medicines and consequently affirms that
the institute should be continued."

About TI Pharma

Top Institute Pharma (TI Pharma) is a public-private partnership in which
scientific and business worlds work together on groundbreaking,
multidisciplinary research aimed at improving the development of socially
valuable medicines. Their research portfolio is based on the disease areas as
specified in Priority Medicines, a report by the World Health Organization
(WHO). The knowledge gained in these projects provides an important
contribution to better, faster and less-expensive development of valuable new
medicines.

For further information, please contact Ingeborg van der Heijden, +31(0)71-332-20-36.